While it is well known that excess fat can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, it isn't well known that fat can sometimes be hiding in places other than underneath our skin!

Research involving more than 75,000 people has found that lean people with a specific genetic variant were at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease despite their lower body fat.

Evidence is showing that fat under the skin doesn't contribute to the development of such disorders as much as fat deposited in deeper tissues and organs like the liver.

Unfortunately for some, a specific gene may curse their bodies to store visceral fat in deep tissue as opposed to under the skin, as study author Ruth Loos explained:

“We think the gene we found causes an error such that it's harder for these people to store fat under the skin. So the fat is stored elsewhere, around the organs and in muscle where it disturbs the normal function of these organs.”

People possessing the gene often showed normal BMI measurements, but consistently had higher levels of blood cholesterol and were more likely to show resistance to processing insulin, a sign of diabetes.

The study highlights the importance for EVERYONE, regardless of size and weight, to regularly have their blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked!